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County shifts economic development strategy toward targeted industries and coordinated agency 'huddle'
Summary
Deputy CAO Tracy Benjamin and a panel of economic development leaders urged a move from incentive-driven deals to intentional targeting of hospitals/health services, IT and research-intensive industries. Panelists said the county will use coordinated agency planning (a forthcoming "huddle") plus targeted incentives and permitting reforms to grow the commercial tax base.
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Tracy Benjamin told the council the county will pivot from a primarily incentive-driven model to a more targeted, proactive strategy aimed at industries that deliver high wages and recurring private investment. Benjamin identified hospitals and health services, information technology, and research-intensive industries as priority sectors and said the administration wants to ensure residents benefit from new jobs through workforce and training alignment.
"By being intentional about which businesses we court and ensuring that local residents reap the benefits of those courtships, we can get a robust county that supports our government services," Benjamin said, urging coordinated outreach and project-ready infrastructure.
Panelists from the Redevelopment Authority, the Economic Development Corporation, Experience Prince George's and the Department of Housing and Community Development outlined tactical priorities: invest in renovating existing venues and hospitality assets, build research-ready lab space for life sciences, and strengthen the county's hospitality and entertainment corridors to capture visitor spending. The Redevelopment Authority highlighted sports, entertainment and tourism as revenue engines and pointed to events such as the CIAA tournament as examples of visitor-driven economic impact.
Council members pressed for practical steps: faster permitting, district-level targeting of investments, expanded small-business technical assistance, and a clearer marketing brand for the county. Panelists said the county will convene a cross-agency 'huddle' of economic development leaders to produce a short execution plan and asked council members to participate.
Why it matters: The administration is aiming to diversify the tax base away from residential property and toward commercial activity that can sustain services and lower per-household tax pressure. Panelists said the Economic Development Incentive fund (created with a $50 million injection in 2021) has leveraged significant private capital and that future incentives will be used more selectively to secure high-return projects.
Next steps: The county will host a targeted economic-development cluster retreat and produce a game plan for industry targeting, permitting reforms and incentive design. Council members were invited to attend the huddle and work with agency leaders on district-specific priorities.
